The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-09-01
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA, SEPTEMBER l. 1887 NEW sEF

friends coming up, she was oblige to
stop and talk to them about indifferent
and frivolous matters while her very soul
was tortured by impatience asd feeling OF
shame.
1t was Thursday, and sAe thought Of
leaving the next day, as sos6 as she 90,
her letter back. picturing tdhsrself the
happiness she would feel in n roining her
husband.
She slept very badly, at times certain
that Roger would return her letter, and !.
at others, dreading that he would
not do so, especially when she remem-
bered his insolent, ironical look
About seven in the morning, Just a.
the fatigue brought on by her emotion
was setting her asleep, she was awakened
with a start by the sound ef hurried
Some one raped at the door.
Alice, it is )" called ont Mr.. Vixien's
joyful voice.
She fastened to let him in, exclaim ing
with transport: What is it you. d.
ready. | was not expecting yo,s for two
days yeti"
Il wished to surprise YOU. Twas able
to finish all my business little ahead of
time. but did not dare send you word,
as l was afraid that at the last moment
something might have sprung up to de-
tain me in Paris"
The young woman's heart was over
flowing with happiness in being again
with her husband, who ioved her so ten
derly, while at the samef time it was op-
pressed with feelings Of shame and re-
morse.
All of sudden she gave start the
clock was striking 8; the postman would
soon arrive with newspapers and letters,
and among them would be that cursed
letter of hers.
She would have been glad to find some
excuse to send her husband of. but ideas
fitted 30 rapidly through her mind that
she could grasp no single one. With her
eyes fixed on the clock, she could only
repeat to herself: "The postman is com
ing with my letter!'
81 am hungryr' said Mr.. Vivien :;
"suppose we go down to breakfast. /
have been travelling since midnight %
And both went down together.
AS luck would have it, the postman
was behind time that morning. To Alice,
the voice OF her husband sounded as it
would have done in distant dream, as
she pictured to herself the row that was
going to take place
She looked at him eating so heartily,
his eyes beaming with tenderness and
confidence, and she thought how soon all
that quiet happiness would vanish, and
all through her fault
AT last she heard the postman's foot
step, and, soon after, the servant laid the
mail on the table.
Mr.. Vivien looked mechanically at the
envelopes there were three letters.
Alice, overcome with terror, felt the
blood coursing about her temples and
buzzing through her ears as she closed
her eyes, almost ready to faint away.
who writes to you in this place p
asked her husband, handing her small
scented envelope addressed in strange
handwright
{" / don't know" .stammered she.
Look and eee."- --.-s--..s.
But Alice held her letter without dar-
ing to open it.
"Well, why don't you read that let
ter? ?" insisted Mr.. Vivien.
Then, with movement of despair, she
abruptly handed him the letter, say
ing:
"Read it yourself ?" and she awaited,
expecting to see everything fall to pieces
about her.
She heard the noise Of tearing paper,
and then, after few seconds Of mortal
agony, her husband said:
"The letter is signed Roger de Beau
mont. He is the secretary of a benevo-
lent committee, and requests your aid in
raising funds for the orphans"
A few days later, Mr.. Vivien took al
ice back to Paris. The young woman
had not seen anything of Roger, and she
was terribly worried by the though that
her letter had remained in the young
mans possession.
The remembrance of that letter became
the torture of her life.
At times she would have crazy no
tion of throwing herself at her husbands
feet aud acknowledging her moment of
folly, but she was terrified at the thought
that it might destroy their quiet haPpi-
ness. Another fear also oppressed her
and choked down the avowal that her
overburdened heart wished to make
"Will my husband really believe that
man obtained only those few lines of
love from mep"
She would occasionally see Roger at
the play, at the races or on the prone
made in looking at her he would always
smile in such a mocking way that she
would tremble from shame an anguish.
Ten years went by in this way. At
last, they met by chance one evening at
a grand ball. Roger came forward to
engage Alice for dance. 1t was only
by superhuman effort that she did not
faint, but, on rejecting that she would
perhaps never again have an opportunity
of speaking to the man who held her
honor, nay even her life, in his hands, she
accepted bis invitation.
"S Sir" said she in a low voice, &C. for
Heavens sake have pity on me this time.
Give me back my peace of mind. During
the past ten years of my life have been
tortured almost to death. For PHYS
sake, return the letter which / so foolish
ly wrote to you"
Roger burst out in a loud, careless
laugh, while the woman stood painting
with impatience an anger.
At last he answered frankly, his voice
still seeming full of fun:
"Why do you think that I have been
keeping all the love-letters that received
during my life? On my honor, swear
- L. L.